


Not How I Wanted To Tell You All

by AlphaWolfAl



Series: Al Rolls A Critical [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Al considers this consent dubious at best, Alpha Al, Alpha Grog, Alpha Pike (not mentioned), Alpha Scanlan (not mentioned), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex With Toys, As usual Al is a transguy, Beta Ali, Beta Vax, Beta Vex, Biting with blood, Biting with bruising, Come Eating, Desperation, Frottage, I'm back on my self-insert bullshit again, M/M, Masturbation, Multi, Omega Keyleth, Omega Percy, Oral Sex, Other, Partial Shape Shifting, Polymachina mentioned, Sex Toys, Trans Male Character, a/b/o dynamics, almost D/s dynamics, dubious consent due to heat, handjobs, lycanthropy, post-heat consent discussion, post-heat polyamory discussion, same bitch - different fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 10:51:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18364526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaWolfAl/pseuds/AlphaWolfAl
Summary: With the demon gone Percy's latent Omega has resurfaced with a vengeance throwing him into a sudden and severe heat. Al does his best to safely help him through it but his own morality struggles with the situation. Vax helps.





	Not How I Wanted To Tell You All

**Author's Note:**

> Guy I literally lost like 6 hours of time to this and when I finally resurfaced I had 18 pages of this mess to proofread.

Now, I should start this by saying that I'm a rational man, often too rational, but I am still an Alpha. I still a have to keep a tight rein on myself from time to time.

Right now, my nose is telling me to give in to the beast, literally and figuratively.

Those of us afflicted with Lycanthropy can be a little... wild... during heat... or rut... or when we smell someone else in heat or rut... But I digress, because an eight foot tall beast-wolf isn't what I need to be right now. Right now, I need to be a man, just a rational, clear-headed, man.

By the gods, that is so hard when I come home from a trip into the next city to find Greyskull Keep reeking of an Omega.

An Omega I don't recognize.

“If you're an alpha, get fuck out! We'll still pay you, just leave until we send for you!” Vex is already ordering every alpha guard and staff member out the door when I slip in past them.

Vax, bless his idiot soul, is pacing in the front hall, toying with a lock of his hair nervously.

“What the hell's going on here, Vax?”

He turns pale, well paler.

“Al you /have to/ leave. Look, I'm glad you're back, and I'm glad you're safe, but you have to go. Go to Gilmore's, he doesn't have suppressants in stock right now, so you don't have to ask about that, but I'm sure he can entertain you for a few days.”

He's talking so fast it's barely individual words so I just grab his arms, eyes lighting up goldenrod, the wolf overshadowing an alpha's normal eye-matching gleam.

“Vax, holy shit, would you calm the fuck down and tell me what's going on?”

He takes a deep breath, and his eyes dilate, and he pants for a second.

“Al... You can't come in here... not smelling like that...”

I frown.

“Who brought an Omega in here in heat?”

Vex growls, grabbing me by the back of my cloak and attempting to physically drag me back out the door.

“Damnit Al. You reek. It's Percy, for fuck's sake. I guess he's an Omega.”

I plant my feet on instinct when she almost topples me backwards with the force of her initial tug.

“Is someone with him right now?”

Why hadn't I guessed. Who else would smell like gunpowder, roses, and hot steel?

“He kicked us all out.”

I growl, low, and threatening, and too far on the side of animal.

“Vex. Let. Go.”

Alpha voice can only effect Betas to an extent, even with the additional intensity from the wolf inside me.

She does stop pulling, but she doesn't let go.

“Al listen to yourself!”

Vex still hasn't started pulling at me again, even though she's raised her voice now.

Vax reaches out, puts his hand on his sister's arm, and shakes his head.

“Let him go, Vex.”

After another moment, where she clearly considers arguing with him too, she lets go of my cloak. But she moves between me and the door to the rest of the keep.

“You have to leave Al. We can't risk anything happening...”

To her credit she casts her eyes to the floor at the end, she knows what she's implying, and she knows its wrong to imply it, but she's trying to protect a friend.

“Vex, I Kn-!” I clamp my mouth shut on my reply.

Three pairs of pointy ears twitch at the sound of thundering feet on the other side of the door. We all snap our heads to see Grog, eyes lit up and practically burning a hole straight ahead of himself with the force of his focus, bolting for the doors with a filthy cloth over his mouth and nose, and Scanlan riding his shoulders to hold it on.

Three half-elves dive out of the way. Two of us make it. I catch an elbow in the shoulder as the Goliath steamrolls past us.

The impact almost topples me and a grunt, more at the shock of it than the pain, leaves my lips.

“Shit... Guess Grog's a better man than me.”

With that I bolt. There's a war in my brain, a battle between my alpha-wolf instincts and my logical brain.

Logically, I need to see Percy, make sure he's ok, make sure he knows he's safe.

Instinctively, I want to rail him into the bed while my fangs sink into his neck and my claws destroy the headboard.

So far, so not a hulking beast-wolf. I hold my breath a moment, center myself, then knock at his door.

There's no words. But I can hear scrambling, and a whimper, and the heavy thud of a body falling against something, or to the floor.

Then the door flies open, and there stands Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, hair a wild mess and naked as the day he was born. That alone would be distracting enough. But he's flushed red, panting like just walking across the room was running a marathon, and already palming himself for what I assume is not the first time today.

“A-al....” His voice is a soft desperate whine and under his lusty haze he's terrified, he's already backing away with stumbling steps.

I hold my hands up and stay standing still in the doorway.

“I promise I'm not gonna do anything to you. May I come in?”

I know my eyes are glowing. I know my teeth are sharper than usual and my pupils are dilated almost as wide as his. I know nothing about my face says that I can keep my promise. I know I'm asking so much of him by asking to come in. But I need to ask.

He fumbles, looks away, and finally mumbles into his own shoulder.

“Please... Please Al...”

The wolf in me wants him to be asking for what his body wants. The man in me knows that's not what he needs right now.

I take one step into the room.

“Would you be ok if I close the door? I don't want you to feel trapped.”

He's still not looking at me, but his voice is stronger.

“Please... I don't want to be seen this way...”

I don't mention that I am getting quite the eyeful at the moment. Mostly because he's already stroking himself like he doesn't even realize he's doing it.

I close the door gently, ensuring it doesn't bang against the frame.

He's finally made his way back to the bed where he sits heavily and notices, for the first time, what his hand is doing. He quickly sits on both hands.

“It's only going to get harder to control it.”

I can't offer real solace, but I have some point of reference at least.

“That's... that's quite unhelpful...”

He's still panting, and his cock gives a sizable throb in his lap making it jump up towards his belly.

I bow my head, lowering myself into his reading chair.

“I won't watch, if you'd rather. But there is nothing to be ashamed of.”

He barks a laugh, breathless and laced with a whine.

“You would say that...”

“I've seen you naked before Percy.”

“This is entirely... ooh~”

He's cut off by another throb of his cock and his hand jerks out from under his rump to grasp himself and try to relieve the need.

I sigh softly, keeping my head down for his sake. But the sound has always been the more important part of sexuality to me than the sight. I already know his pale skin, and his pink flush, and the way his hair falls disheveled around his face. I already know he's beautiful to look at. But the sounds he's making are even more beautiful.

My ears twitch slightly when he lets out a sudden keen of need. It's a physical effort to keep my eyes on my lap. One that involves biting my lower lip until I taste blood.

I know I'm throwing out scent like wild. I can't smell myself, nobody can smell themselves, but I put out scent heavy on a normal day. Right now I must be putting out almost as much as he is.

“Al... Please...” His voice has taken on the tone only an Omega's can. He's so much closer than I thought.

His bare feet are in my line of sight now.

He's in my lap now, straddling my thick thighs and rolling his hips trying to get friction against my hip.

My big hands are on his waist before I can stop myself, and he's pressing his face into my neck, sniffing and licking at the gland under my jaw, and panting in my ear.

With a great heaving effort I throw my arms around him to hold him gently close, pressing my face into his shoulder.

“Percy I can't... I can't do that to you...”

My voice is rough and my teeth are growing sharper by the minute. My lap is soaked with his slick. My own cock is so hard it aches between my legs. My jaw throbs where it's beginning to stretch into a muzzle.

“Al please... Al I need it...”

He ruts himself against my hip and moans in my ear.

“Please... please don't leave me alone...”

Now his hands are gripping the back of my cloak and he's pressing his face into my shoulder.

I fight my urge to grope him when caressing my big, warm, hand up and down his back takes it close to his ass.

I fight my urge to curl my hand and drag my nails down his back to watch him arch and keen.

He clings and shakes and murmurs over and over in my ear. “Please please... don't leave... please I need it... I need you... Al please...”

Even as he fights his own urges and loses to the rough slide of his weeping cock against my leather pants, he clings to me and begs me to stay.

Suddenly he cries out and spills seed over my already slick-ruined trousers.

For just a moment he's lucid again.

“Oh gods... I'm sorry...”

I pet his hair and shake my head where it's still pressed into his heaving shoulder.

“I will protect you. If you need to sit like this I'll sit and let you grind off against me.”

He lets out a soft sob. It's then that it truly sinks in for me. He hasn't had a heat in likely years. This must be terrifying.

His length is already returning to full mast, having never truly flagged entirely in the first place. His soft sobs turn to little mewls of need.

I toy with a strand of his hair idly.

He lets out a moan.

I stop, dropping my hand back to his back.

He whines and in a sudden motion he sinks his teeth into my neck, muffling his sounds as he ruts against me again, pushing his cock through the wet stain of his own mess.

I snarl and my hips jerk up against him before I can stop myself.

He digs his teeth in harder around a keening cry as our bodies press closer.

Damnit. Damnit damnit damnit.

“Percy... fuck... Percival...”

My voice sounds so far gone towards the wolf it's almost not me.

He shudders in my lap and ruts faster, voice dripping Omega.

“Al please... please I really need it...”

I can see small patches of fur thickening on my arms.

“Percy I'm gonna have to open the window, ok? Fuck... Once you're done with this one...”

I can't bring myself to make him stop himself yet.

He clutches at me tighter, thrusts himself against my hip harder, moans louder in my ear with his teeth sinking in deeper.

There's a moment of lucidity for me when I feel blood seep around his teeth. Gods he's going to hate himself for that later. Right now it's hot, and he seems to agree.

Percy's grip on my cloak redoubles as his spine arches and he cries out wordlessly, letting go of my neck as he spills on me again.

I stand, gently lifting him with me, then set him on the chair.

I press a soft kiss to the top of his head in a moment of weakness, which he leans into, before charging across the room and throwing wide the window hanging my upper body out it to heave in great breaths of cold fall air.

The blood runs a hot rivulet down to the collar of my shirt staining the fabric.

Behind me there's a wet noise. When I turn Percy has pulled his legs up into the chair, tucked one over the arm, and is working two fingers into himself with abandon.

I'm struck dizzy by the shock of lust that sets off in me and I turn back to the window freezing my lungs with another few gulps of air.

He mewls and his voice fills with Omega intonation again.

“Al please... Please please please...”

It's like he doesn't even know what he asking for anymore, he's just so so sure I can give it to him.

I finally turn into the room again. But instead of returning to his side I move to the other window and throw it open. There's a sturdy breeze outside, it helps to clear the air in the room marginally.

Now I have no more choice, I have to look at him again.

 

He's sunk his teeth into his own hand to muffle himself and his free hand is working three fingers inside himself with rough motions.

A deep growl leaves me, all animal as my body thrums with want.

He lets go of his hand, looks up at me panting, tongue hanging out, tears brimming in his eyes.

“Al~~....”

“Oh gods... I can't help you the way you want me to Percy...” My hands are shaking. “But I can... Oh gods Percival... Forgive me...”

I drop to my knees in front of his chair and, after a deep breath to focus myself and revert my shifting, I swiftly engulf his cock in my mouth.

He lets out a cry and immediately grips my hair with the hand that had been in his mouth, yanking hard, earning himself a snarl that vibrates along his length.

He's just long enough to agitate my gag reflex though and I can't let him adjust to what's happening before I bob my head in quick short motions.

He doesn't care much if the way he clutches my head and cries out my name in that blissed out Omega voice is any indication.

It takes even less time for him to work up this orgasm than the last two and I can't quite pull back fast enough to avoid him releasing in my mouth.

I gag quietly and spit it out in my hand wrinkling my nose.

Well that isn't exactly ideal.

He whines lowly and bites his lower lip.

“Al... I'm sorry... Shit I didn't mean to... gods...”

I flash him a smile and press a soft kiss to his thigh.

“I've had worse, Percival.”

He's only lucid long enough to smile back at me before his eyes cloud with lust again and he winces when his hand wraps around his cock on reflex.

I gently take his hand and kiss the back of it.

“I know Percy. I know. It's hard....” I actually laugh, and he laughs but that's probably just an Omega imitating an Alpha. “Ok... poor choice of words... But I know. It's gonna hurt either way... Let me... I'm just going to yell for someone to... bring you something.”

Just before I can get to my feet he grips at my other hand, the one I'd fully intended to wash while I was up, and in a haze of hormones Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III is licking his own fluids, and some of my spit, off my hand.

My cock throbs at that thought, and I growl encouragingly.

“Good boy.”

The words slip past my lips before I can stop them, Alpha intonation and all.

He whines and redoubles his efforts to clean up his mess.

My hand is spotless in no time and his hand is back on his cock.

I smile softly and shake my head slowly.

“I'm not leaving the room. I'm just going to yell out for someone.”

I try to sound reassuring, best as I can around the rumbling growl in my chest. Then I open the bedroom door, stick my head out, take a deep breath and bellow.

“VAX'ILDAN!”

As anticipated he slips in through a window in the hall and frowns.

“What is it? What's wrong?” He freezes for a moment, his eyes catching on the drying blood at my neck. “What happened?”

I shake my head. For all his bravado Vax really cares for our little family.

“My room. The big Rosewood box and a change of clothes.”

He gets the cutest little wrinkle between his eyebrows when his brain is putting a puzzle together and for a moment that distracts me before I see realization dawn on him.

“Al what are you thinking?”

“That he rutted off against me twice and my pants are a mess of slick and cum. That he sunk those blunt human teeth into me so hard it bled and my shirt is stained. Gods Vax I'm not going to fuck him. And I'm certainly not gonna knot him. Not when he's like this. Consent on the cock sucking was dubious enough as it is...”

He stumbles a bit as he turns to go.

“You made him do what?”

“I sucked his cock. Which I happen to be very good at, if you remember.”

He flushes and ducks his head.

“I'm sorry you just... you smell so fucking great I wouldn't be surprised if he'd begged...”

He claps a hand over his mouth and grumbles.

“You owe me for bringing you your toybox to fuck someone else with.”

I laugh and shake my head, pushing a little more alpha scent out just to watch Vax squirm at the force of it. “Once he's worn himself out I'll make it up to you.”

He shivers and bites his lower lip, lifting his chin to bare his neck a bit and floating a wave of his subtle smoke and lavender scent.

“I'll be right back. You don't have to play dirty like that.”

I laugh again. “But it's just so much fun.”

He flips me off and hurries down the hall. It's not far but I don't want to leave where Percy can see me.

While I've been talking to Vax, Percy's worked himself into a sweaty, keening, mess with what sounds like one hand on his cock and the other still burying his fingers in himself. The slick slide of flesh and fluids calls to something primal in me and I force myself to stay at the door waiting for Vax because if I turn around I know I'll rush to him without what I've sent my lover to fetch.

The other half-elf is already back, hefting the relatively large rosewood box.

“You should just get a bag of holding for all this stuff.”

I laugh taking the box and the stack of clothing, noting with a smile that he's brought a fine vest Percy had commissioned for me months ago. A kind gesture.

“If you buy me a bag of holding I will use it for exclusively these items.”

He grinned wickedly. 

“I'll talk to Vex. Portability would be... convenient...”

“Al~~ Please~~”

The plaintive sound makes something sharp inside me shift and I shove Vax.

“Go on. Make sure you let everyone know he'll be ok. Have the cook's assistant make some soup for him.”

He chuckles softly and nods wandering back towards the window he came in through.

I shut the door and haul the hefty box to the chair where Percy has managed to fuck four fingers into himself, which is impressive honestly.

“Hey Percy.” I gently press a hand to his cheek to get his attention.

He shudders, leans into my palm, and looks at me with barely-focused eyes glowing soft blue-violet in the rapidly dimming light of sunset.

“Alpha~.... Who was at the door?”

The question is barely a murmur and I smile as softly as I can around the resurgence of my fangs.

“Just Vax bringing something to help you.”

He smiles brighter then breaks off in a moan as he finds that spot inside himself that makes him see white.

And paints his hand white.

He's lucid again as he comes down, eyes drooping a bit, even as his body clearly shows it's not finished yet.

“Al... You don't have to...”

I tilt my head. “We can talk about this in a few days. When you're you again.”

He reaches his hand out to me and I take it gently, kissing the back of it despite the mess of cum sliding over the pale skin.

I murmur softly. “I've got you Percival. You'll be ok. Let go for now. I won't hurt you.”

He flushes redder, and looks me right in the eyes, clear-headed for a moment more. “I know.”

For a moment, it looks like he's going to lean to kiss me, but, the forward motion jostles the fingers still inside him, despite their lack of motion, and it makes him gasp and moan and his brain fogs over again.

I open the rosewood box and, after studying the way his fingers fit inside him, select a leather-wrapped rod with a simulated knot and a wide base to grip, and hold it up.

“I can't give you what you really want, but I can give you this for tonight.”

His panting increases as he looks at the toy.

I gently pull his fingers out of him and a rush of slick follows making the wolf in me howl with delight. All that slick for me. It must be for me. I'm the only Alpha here.

Ok, brain, get back on track.

I gently pull him to his feet and guide him to his bed, laying him back with a careful hand.

“I'll be gentle.” I barely whisper the promise into his ear.

He's arching and pawing at his cock again already, so I kneel between his legs and gently press the rod into him. After four fingers it slips in easily, he can probably even manage the knot without pain. Good.

I bring him to five more orgasms with the rod and my hands, until he's finally crying out desperately, barely able to move from the exertion.

“Please Al! Please knot me! I need it!”

I smile and slide the rod in and out and in and out slowly, stroking his over-sensitive cock with a calloused hand.

“Of course. Tell me when you're close again.”

It's less than five minutes before his overstimulated body gives up the fight and he's sobbing through another orgasm with the simulated knot of the toy shoved into him.

He promptly passes out before I've even finished pulling the rod out of him.

I make use of his wash basin, stripping naked and cleaning my skin and the rod carefully.

Then I carefully wet my already filthy shirt and let it cool at the open window a few moments before gently cleaning his body.

He's so out that he doesn't wake up or even stir when I touch him.

I bundle my dirty clothes on the floor and pull on the clean change Vax brought, not putting the vest on just yet.

Then with silent footfalls I step out the door, lean my back against the wall to hold myself upright, and, rather than shouting this time, I speak firm and low.

“Vax. Come here.”

My voice is rough and filled with Alpha. My body is hot and aches.

He slips in through the window, panting softly as the wall of my scent hits him.

“Al... Shit Al what happened in there?”

I drag my hand through my hair and growl lowly.

“Kneel. Now.”

It's not a question, there's only one acceptable answer as far as the beast in me is concerned. Thank the gods Vax knows that answer and is all too eager to give it.

He lowers to his knees in front of me, deft fingers working open my trousers and tugging them down my thighs.

My cock hangs hot and heavy between my legs, the fully functional, knotted, pseudo-penis of an Alpha born female.

Vax engulfs me in his mouth as eagerly as ever, setting my head spinning as my aching length at last sinks into wet heat.

I grip at his hair and fuck into his mouth.

It's short and brutal and he gags around my length on a few particularly deep thrusts. It's too soon when I'm shoving my swollen knot past his lips and snarling my release at the ceiling as he swallows around me.

The sound echos down the hall and I hear a soft little gasp.

Turning my head lazily to the side, Vax's mouth still temporarily stuck on my knot, I see Vex and Keyleth standing twenty feet away.

Keyleth flushes red, turns tail, and bolts away, leaving a cloud of sickly-sweet gardenia and peony Omega scent behind.

Vex doesn't move, so I flash her a fanged grin, panting heavily.

“Care to join us?”

My voice is husky with release and resonates with Alpha still. But it's an invitation, not an order.

She shudders, eyes moving from her brother's kneeling form to my face.

“I... Perhaps later, darling.” She hold out a bowl. “I've brought Percy some soup.”

I smile and nod towards the door.

“He's asleep right now. But if you wake him he should be lucid enough to eat something.”

She nods and hurries around us and into the room.

I gently pet Vax's head, looking down at his flushed face as I pull firmly back from his mouth, freeing my knot with some effort.

“Shit Vax... Gods you're beautiful...”

He smiles, standing slowly, wincing a bit as his trousers shift around his own prominent erection.

“And you reek still... Holy shit Al. How do we live with you?”

I yank my own pants back up and stretch languidly.

“My sparkling personality obviously.”

He punches my arm. I kiss his cheek.

Then I pull the earring and speak.

“Vex, let him know I'm coming back. I just want to make sure he eats before anything else.”

She chuckles a little into her own earring.

“He's barely conscious enough to hold the spoon himself. I don't think he's realized you're not here right now. You stink.”

I can't help the booming laugh that leaves me at that.

“You two really are twins.”

Vax rolls his eyes.

“You need to eat too, Al.”

I heave a sigh. He's right of course.

“I'm not the one who put out three hours of effort here.”

He flushes red but laughs heartily.

“I'd bet you didn't bother to stop to eat between here and wherever you camped last night.”

“You would win that bet.”

He laughs and hooks his arm through mine.

“Come on. Vex can call you if they need you.”

I shake my head but allow him to lead me down the hall.

Halfway to the stairs I suddenly shove him into an alcove and grin.

“I said I'd make it up to you.”

He blushes, eyes lit up silver in the dim flicker of newly lit torches, and glances away.

“Fuck... Al...”

His legs tremble as the tiny alcove fills quickly with my scent.

I shove his trousers down just enough to free his cock and immediately take him in hand. My motions are quick and firm, stroking him off while murmuring in his ear.

“You're such a good boy for me.”

My voice drips with Alpha and he whimpers, fucking into my hand and baring his neck.

I lean in nipping his pointy ear and growling deep in my chest as I lick slowly over his gland.

He smells good. Subtle and soft and like nothing I'd ever thought I'd find intoxicating. But here I stand jerking him off in an alcove just to hear the keening mess I can make him.

There's something about effecting a Beta this way, Omegas are easy, Alphas want to fuck anyway, but a Beta you have to make want you for who you are, not just your scent.

I sink my teeth firmly into his neck and he arches his spin hard keening my name as he spills over my hand.

Once he's shaking and whimpering in overstimulation I stop my hand and take a step back.

“Now that's the only thing that can make you prettier.”

I trace my fingertip over the already darkening bruise from my bite.

He moans and bites his lower lip, fixing his pants.

“Shit... Gods Al... You're such an ass.”

I laugh heartily and leave the alcove to resume our walk to the kitchens, making a stop in my own room, two doors forward, to wash my hands in my own basin.

Vax stands in the doorway watching me run my clean hands through my wild blond hair to dry them and tame the tousled locks in the same motion.

I catch his eye in the mirror and smile, soft and private, something I only show our little family.

He smiles back and rakes his hand through his own hair with a soft laugh.

“How'd we get here huh?”

“You and me? Or all of Vox Machina.”

“Is the answer any different.”

“Well I haven't actually fucked Percy yet.”

“Yet.”

“After this mess passes he and I are going to talk about that.”

“Thanks Al. Really.”

I shake my head slowly.

“I don't know if I'd thank me. I'm already doing something that I'm not proud of here. A begging Omega is damn hard to ignore, and even harder to refuse once I'm there. But it's not consent. An Omega in heat isn't capable of consent.”

He's at my side in a moment, a slender, calloused, hand on my thick forearm, bared by the rolled sleeves of my shirt.

“Al. You know as well as anyone that an Omega needs someone there during their heat. That it's easier on them that way. After gods know how long he's gone without a cycle this could really hurt him without you here.”

I shake my head again but rest my hand over his.

“I'm still going to apologize. Because I have to. But I know that I'm doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. I just hope he can forgive me.”

The dark-haired man takes a slow breath and presses the barest kiss to my shoulder.

“We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Let's get you some food. He's not going to stay barely conscious forever.”

I smile softly again, press my forehead on his, and cradle the back of his hand in one big hand.

“Thank you.”

He links his arm through mine and we finish our trek to the kitchens.

The next entire week goes much like this. I spend most of my time at Percy's side, but it's not always in a sexual capacity. Sometimes he needs to be held, made to feel safe, reminded that his little adopted family is here for him. Sometimes he needs to be railed mercilessly with the leather-wrapped rod until he passes out in sheets stained with cum and sweat.

One morning the motion of the human climbing shakily from the bed wakes me, strange in that the last few days I had been awoken by him climbing atop me in an attempt to ride me.

I sit up slowly, studying the white-haired man.

“Percy?”

He jumps and ducks his head.

“This is certainly not how I wanted to tell you all...”

I hold up my hand.

“How are you?”

He gapes at me a moment, clearly not expecting that.

“I... Well aside from rather... disgusting...” He motions to his body, barely wiped clean the night before. “I am... I suppose I have you to thank for... helping me through it. I don't... remember anything.”

“It's been a week. I didn't fuck you, much less knot you.” I motion lazily to the rod resting on my discarded shirt, washed clean and dry. “That did most of the work.”

He flushes red and his eyes dilate a bit as he studies the toy.

“Remind me to ask after that later... After I've had a bath. And... burn the sheets.”

“Vex will literally murder me if I burn the sheets. However I'll have them washed thoroughly.”

He sighs softly, laughing almost to himself.

“Thank you, Al. Really.”

I shake my head.

“Let's talk before you do too much thanking. But, after your bath...” I pause then wink flirtatiously. “Unless you'd like company.”

“I believe I would enjoy that.”

I wasn't expecting that. But I get to my feet, stark naked, and seek out my trousers. They're slick-ruined, but made of soft cloth rather than the leather of my traveling trousers which I'd been wearing when I first joined him in his room.

“Fair if we stop at my room for a clean pair?”

He laughs despite the furious blush flaring it's way across his chest.

“Fair enough.”

We make our way to the baths in a state of barely held together disarray. Vex catches sight of us but hurries out of our way. We see nobody else. It's early and the sun is just starting to rise.

There's magic to heating the water and the deep stone pool is pleasantly warm in moments.

We talk the whole time we wash, and for longer while we just relax letting the tension out of his overused muscles.

It's not an easy conversation for either of us.

We both start at the same time.

“Percy I'm sorry.”

“I must apologize.”

We stare at each other a moment, then laugh. I let him go first. He apologizes, feeling like he took advantage of me. I apologize, feeling like I took advantage of him.

We quickly come to an agreement that we both feel the other did nothing wrong given the situation.

It's clear we'll both need time to accept that statement on a personal level, but we give it freely to each other.

“Percival, if you want me to help in the future, you have to tell me before it starts. We'll get you potions from Gilmore, he'll have them within a week and they have a rather long shelf-life. But if you want me to help you I need to hear it when you're in your right mind.”

Repeating myself, a sure sign something is mildly distressing to me.

He lays a hand on my thigh.

“I'd have asked you without my heat. But you and Vax...”

“And Vax and Gilmore. And me and... everyone else honestly.”

He flushes brightly.

“Really?”

“So very really. Fucking Grog is an experience worth having at least once in a lifetime.”

I wink, he blushes more, we both laugh softly, the mood returns to an easy relaxation.

“Well in that case I've simply been pining for no reason.”

“You certainly have. Though, if it's any consolation, I would have never guessed.”

Another twenty minutes of lazy conversation and gentle relaxation in the hot water, then we finally step out.

I shake off like a dog before drying with a towel. Percy laughs at that, most of them laugh at that, as he dries himself off.

Redressed and with my arm around his waist, we emerge from the baths and make a bee-line for the kitchens, both of us hungry.

Breakfast is an easy afair, slowly joined by each of our friends, Grog and Scanlan the last to arrive as word had to be sent to them in the city.

It's warm, with laughter and everyone making sure Percy is alright and gentle physical affection all around. Hands touching, shoulders bumping, hugs, and kisses in all manner of areas of the face and hands.

Percy handles it well, I'm proud of him for it, something tells me we all are.

Everyone assures him that they're not mad at him for keeping the secret. He still apologizes rather formally, grasping my hand as he does almost as if on instinct.

The morning is beautiful, cool and crisp outside as Vax and I walk the gardens watching Grog nap under the massive tree, and Pike listen to Scanlan attempt to serenade her, and Vex and Keyleth picking apples and pumpkins that are ripe, and Ali watching Percy cleaning and reassembling Bad News on a blanket laid on the ground to keep track of the smaller pieces.

“He's officially part of all this huh?”

“Sounded like he wants to be.”

“Al...” He stops walking an gently takes hold of my sides of my face. “I love you, you beautiful idiot.”

I laugh softly and let myself lean into the touch.

“And I love you, you glorious son of a bitch.”

“Ah so you /do/ know my father!”

We both fall into cackling laughter at that and sit on a bench to catch our breath.

“Really though. You all have been too kind, indulging me my proclivities.”

He shakes his head.

“I was already prone to it, and, well, Grog and Scanlan go whoring regularly. Surprised by Percy though.”

“Me too. But he's a grown man. It's his choice.”

There is something beautiful about watching the group.

Vox Machina is a rag-tag group of messy people with messy lives. But now we're all trying to clean that mess together, and it is so good.

The tug in my chest that I never understand throbs as I think about it. And I think it's good. Because the word for it is Love. And whether I understand love or not, I feel it for these people. And that is beautiful and terrifying and what I needed all along.


End file.
